Following surgury or injury involving the bones of the foot, traditional practice has been to employ a rigid plaster-of-paris cast to support the foot while healing occurs. Recently, surgical shoes have been used in place of the rigid cast as such shoes are less encumbering and promote early ambulation. U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,151, Schoenbrun et al, discloses a surgical shoe of this type, the shoe having a composite sole including a flat, rigid plywood midsole, an outer sole and a thin foam rubber cushion innersole and an open-toed cloth upper.
The intended function of the plywood midsole is to provide rigidity for restraint of movement of the foot in the shoe during walking. However, during the propulsive phase of gait toe-off, the body weight, being imposed in the forward portion of the sole, forces the rigid sole away from the foot. This action, in which the heel pulls away from the sole, creates stress throughout the foot. Additionally, a rigid sole portion serves as a shock transmitter, to the discomfort of the wearer.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a surgical shoe having improved bone support and shock absorbing properties.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a shoe which may be contoured around the foot for improved support.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a surgical shoe which provides adjustable compression to reduce post-operative or post injury edema and pain and which permits motion in the joints to be maintained while avoiding or removing abnormal stresses from the bones of the foot.